Intermediate

These scopes offer higher performance and more advanced features than Level 1 Beginner models. They typically take a bit longer to learn and need some set-up or adjustments. But anyone with the slightest technical bent will have no problem getting familiar with these models. Referring to the manual is recommended.

The SkyProdigy 130 Computerized Reflector Telescope from Celestron employs a revolutionary automatic alignment system so anyone can become an instant astronomer, regardless of how well they know the night sky.

With the SkyProdigy 130 Computerized Reflector Telescope, it’s easy to enjoy hours upon hours of stargazing entertainment thanks to its automatic alignment capabilities courtesy of Celestron’s StarSense technology. The SkyProdigy 130 reflector telescope employs electronic motors, an on-board computer and digital camera, and Celestron StarSense technology for automatic, instant alignment without any input required from the user. In fact, zero knowledge of the night sky is required to align a SkyProdigy telescope. Just take the telescope outside, turn on the SkyProdigy, push a single button, and enjoy the views. After giving the automatic alignment process just a few minutes, any SkyProdigy telescope will be ready to show you views of some 4000 celestial wonders. Now that’s easy astronomy!

Great views of deep sky objects such as nebulas, star clusters, and galaxies can be yours with the Celestron SkyProdigy 130 Computerized Reflector Telescope. The auto-aligning SkyProdigy 130’s substantial 130mm (5.12”) aperture collects a good amount of light to provide you with pleasing views that are brighter than those through smaller telescopes. A moderate focal length of 650mm (f/5.0) makes the SkyProdigy 130 perform especially well on wide-field views of the night sky. Easy setup is enhanced by a quick-release fork arm design for quick, no-tool attachment of the telescope to the single-arm altazimuth SkyProdigy mount. Use the included 25mm and 9mm 1.25” eyepieces for views with 26x (25mm) and 72x (9mm) power magnification. Weighing in at 18 lbs., the SkyProdigy 130 from Celestron will wow you with bright views of the 4000 objects in its database.

The SkyProdigy 130 reflector telescope’s automated alignment process begins when an on-board camera automatically captures an image of the night sky, which is quickly processed by the telescope computer to identify noticeable star patterns. As soon as a positive star pattern match is found, the SkyProdigy 130 quickly determines the coordinates of the stars in the image using its on-board computer. This process is automatically repeated twice more for triangulation purposes and then the telescope is ready to locate any of the 4000 objects in the telescope’s database. Not sure what to look at first? Not to worry - there’s even a nifty Sky Tour option to use if you don’t know exactly what celestial sight to go after.

The included fully computerized Celestron SkyProdigy hand controller is Flash upgradeable, and allows you to select from nine slew speeds (3°/sec, 2°/sec, 1°/sec, 0.5°/sec, 32x, 16x, 8x, 4x and 2x). The auto-aligning altazimuth mount also boasts sidereal, solar, and lunar tracking rates for extended views of virtually any object. A battery pack is included which provides over 30 hours of operation.

Warranty

This product is serviced and supported by its manufacturer according to the terms and conditions included in the packaged product. Orion's limited warranty does not apply. Please contact the manufacturer directly for technical support.

Warning

Please note this product was not designed or intended by the manufacturer for use by a child 12 years of age or younger.

User level

Level 1 Beginner - Suited for a wide range of uses, these telescopes are simple to operate and set up. Some initial assembly may be required. Very good optical and mechanical quality. Great for families, young people, and folks who don't want to mess with equipment but just want to take a look. Any of these scopes will show you countless lunar craters, Saturn's rings and a myriad of star clusters and nebulas! Referring to the manual is recommended.

Level 2 Intermediate - These scopes offer higher performance and more advanced features than Level 1: Beginner models. They typically take a bit longer to learn and need some set-up or adjustments. But anyone with the slightest technical bent will have no problem getting familiar with these models. Referring to the manual is recommended.

Level 3 Advanced - These scopes provide the best performance but may require more skill to master and appreciate. They have exceptionally fine optics and mechanics. Some are easy to use but are but on the large or heavy side. Some are intended for specialized uses. These scopes will appeal to the more technically inclined. Referring to the manual is highly recommended.

Level 4 Expert - Expert telescopes offer uncompromising optical and mechanical quality for the most demanding amateur astronomer. They may be technically involved or designed for specialized use, such as astrophotography or detailed deep sky observation. They carry a premium price, but are designed to provide the ultimate performance in the field. Referring to the manual is highly recommended.

Optical design

Reflector telescopes use a pair of large and small mirrors to direct incoming light to the eyepiece.
Refractor telescopes refract, or "bend" incoming light to a focus by means of an objective lens.
Cassegrain telescopes, such as Maksutov-Cassegrains, "fold" incoming light using two mirrors and a front "corrector" lens.

Optical diameter

For telescopes, the optical diameter (also known as aperture) is the size of a telescope's main light-collecting lens or primary mirror, measured in millimeters or inches. Telescopes with larger optical diameters collect more light, which leads to an increase in brightness and image resolution compared to smaller instruments.

For binoculars, the optical diameter (also known as objective lens diameter) is the size of each of the front-facing objective lenses of a binocular measured in millimeters. Binoculars with larger objective lenses collect more light, which increases image resolution and brightness. Binoculars with larger objective lenses are recommended for low light situations, and binoculars with at least 50mm or larger objective lenses are recommended for pleasing astronomical observations at night.

Focal length

The distance from the center of a curved mirror or lens at which parallel light rays converge to a single point. The focal length is an inherent specification of a mirror or lens and is one of the factors in determining resultant magnification for a telescope (along with the focal length of the eyepiece being used).

Focal ratio

The focal ratio of an optical system is the ratio of a telescope's focal length to its aperture. Short focal ratios (f/5, f/4.5) produce wide fields of view and small image scales, while long focal lengths produce narrower fields of views and larger image scales.

Resolving power

The theoretical resolving power of a telescope can be calculated with the following formula: Resolving power (in arc seconds) = 4.56 divided by aperture of telescope (in inches). In metric units, this is: Resolving power (in arc seconds) = 116 divided by aperture of telescope (in millimeters). Note that the formula is independent of the telescope type or model, and is based only upon the aperture of the telescope. So the larger the telescope's aperture, the more it is capable of resolving. This is important to keep in mind when observing astronomical objects which require high resolution for best viewing, such as planets and double stars. However, it is usually atmospheric seeing conditions (not the telescope) which limits the actual resolving power on a given night; rarely is resolution less than one arc-second possible from even the best viewing locations on Earth.

Lowest useful magnification

Lowest useful magnification is the power at which the exit pupil becomes 7mm in diameter. Powers below this can still be reached with the telescope to give wider fields of view, but the image no longer becomes brighter at a lower power. This is due to the fact that the exit pupil of the telescope (the beam of light exiting the eyepiece) is now larger than the average person's dark adapted pupil, and no more light can fit into the eye.

Highest useful magnification

The highest practical limit is different from the often used "highest theoretical magnification" specification. The "theoretical" limit generally is 50x the aperture of the scope in inches (2x the aperture in mm). So for example, an 80mm refractor is capable of 160x, and a 10" telescope is theoretically capable of 500x magnification.
But after approximately 300x, theory breaks down and real world problems take over. The atmosphere above us is constantly in motion, and it will distort the image seen through the telescope. This effect may not be noticeable at lower powers, but at higher powers the atmosphere will dramatically blur the object, reducing the quality of the image. On a good night (a night where the air above is steady and the stars aren't twinkling), the practical upper limit of a large telescope is 300x, even thought the theoretical limit may be much higher. This doesn't mean the scope will never be able to reach those higher "theoretical" powers - there will be that rare night where the atmosphere is perfectly still and the scope can be pushed past it's practical limit, but those nights will be few and far between.

Astro-imaging capability

The astro-photographic capability of the telescope is based on the style, stability, and accuracy of the mount and tripod. Telescopes on either very lightweight mounts or non tracking mounts (such as Dobsonians) are capable of only very short exposures such as lunar photographs. If a motor drive is attached to an equatorial mount, even a small lightweight mount is capable of capturing some planetary detail. Larger EQ mounts that utilize very precise tracking and excellent stability are capable of longer exposure deep-sky photography.

Computerized compatibility

Some mounts are compatible with a motorized Go-To system for fully automated computer finding of objects in the night sky. Others mounts are compatible with computer finding systems which require the user to manually move the mount to the object's position as indicated by the computer finder.

Warranty

This warranty gives you specific legal rights. It is not intended to remove or restrict your other legal rights under applicable local consumer law; your state or national statutory consumer rights governing the sale of consumer goods remain fully applicable.

Orders received by 1pm Eastern Time for in-stock items ship the same business day. Orders received after 1pm will ship the next business day. When an item is not in-stock we will ship it as soon as it becomes available. Typically in-stock items will ship first and backordered items will follow as soon as they are available. You have the option in check out to request that your order ship complete, if you'd prefer.

A per-item shipping charge (in addition to the standard shipping and handling charge) applies to this product due to its size and weight. This charge varies based on the shipping method.

For the intermediate viewer the Celestron NexStar 8SE is a great portable field telescope. The one-arm mount with hand controllers puts 40,000 celestial objects at your fingertips. The portable single fork is much lighter than a two fork arm system.

A complete assortment of accessories for your telescope, the Orion Premium Telescope Accessory Kit comes with five Sirius eyepieces, a Shorty Barlow, and six filters for lunar and planetary observing, and a case. Everything you need, all in one kit!

At Orion, we are committed to sharing our knowledge and passion for astronomy and astrophotography with the amateur astronomy community. Visit the Orion Community Center for in-depth information on telescopes, binoculars, and astrophotography. You can find astrophotography "how to" tips and share your best astronomy pictures here. Submit astronomy articles, events, and reviews, and even become a featured Orion customer!